Tuesday, 28 July 2015

Why is it that every jam that I try to make never seems to have or reach a setting point?

Why do my nails always split or chip before they reach a suitably long stage?

Why do my kitchen cupboards always get untidy?

Why do the weeds come up the day after I've weeded the garden?

Why does it rain just before I've finished weeding the border?

Why is a banner popping up at the top of the blogs that I'm reading saying that the site is using cookies from Google to personalise ads and analyse traffic? They give me no option to agree - isn't that blackmail?

Monday, 27 July 2015

I can't bake without a mess. Even with a mixer there's always a pile of batter that sticks to the whizzy thing. I do try to spatula it off and spoon it off and knife it off but it just won't come clean without the use of fingers!

There's always a drip or two or three that runs down the sides when spooning it into the tin. How should I get that off so it won't burn in the oven?

The floor gets covered with flour when I open the flour bags. I've never opened a flour bag yet that doesn't spill its contents all over.

It even sticks to the bowl and ends up around the sink. The bowl, the bowl - just won't come clean no matter how much I spoon out. I end up chasing little bits around the sides and the bottom. Oh woe is me. I hate baking - such a mess.

Thursday, 23 July 2015

I transplanted some Lidl growing lettuce and lo and behold they've grown into large lettuce which I can eat with my salad.

The tomatoes are now ready to eat ...

and the grapes are plumping out. They won't be ready until September.

But I can eat some poppy peas with my salad. These were a swap for a tub of strawberries. Here's to friends who grow.

It's been warm today - DD's fences have been mended, a load of invasive ivy pulled out, broad beans picked, curry with home grown veg cooked and courgettes ready to gift to friends. I'm going to start another ripple to be used as a cover for patio furniture cushions. All is well.

Sunday, 19 July 2015

The tea stain was on a large cotton tablecloth and silly me did not soak it immediately when it had been stained. It remained in the linen basket until it was washed in the normal way in the washing machine. Oh no - the tea stain did not come out. Give it another wash! Same result - still stained. Research was duly done on the web and I went for a solution of white vinegar and water to soak away the stain. After the soak it recommended a quick rinse with boiling water. Zilch. The stain remained. It was a stubborn stain. The next course of action was a soaking in bleach and water followed by another wash.

Sunday, 12 July 2015

It was a lazy day today but I seem to have got a lot done. Brass sorted, litter picked from front garden and book finished amongst the normal tidy, iron routine. We picked the remaining potatoes and onions from the garden to make way for the leeks.

Here's a selection of DH's 'strange plant' collection. This one has little babies around it.

Here's a shrimp plant complete with shrimps.

This one fires out seeds and has an unusual gherkin like stem.

This one, I think is called mother of millions as the little plantlets scatter everywhere.

These leaves wobble around on their stem.

And this rosette one is just an unusual colour.

I keep picking the sweet peas and they keep filling the house with their scent.

The Sweet Williams are still going strong - just a little shorter and in a smaller vase.

This view is from my afternoon sitting spot. A wall of going over mange tout and a curtain of onions. They make for an unusual green garden screen.

Wednesday, 8 July 2015

For this blog hop I just worked down my Favourite Blog List again and I found some interesting reading out there by looking at the blog lists of others and this time jumping in on words that caught my eye.

Our New Life in the Country led me to Project 333 which was all about a capsule wardrobe. I don't think I'm quite there yet. Jumping off to another video from there I investigated the girl's 'summer capsule' and the number of clothes she chose seemed never ending. More research on this project is obviously needed.